Long read. Also, feel free to mergeOk, so we're all down in the dumps and fuming at another pitiful performance from our beloved Reds - against Wigan no less. Top 4 aspirations might officially be gone, and we're going to need to strengthen in the summer.
But since we have a number of games left, what's the best way to go forward in the last few games of the season? Let's have an open and honest discussion of tactics and team selection for the rest of the season without being pissy at each other and avoiding the holier-than-though and hate-to-say-I-told-you so mentality.
I'll start it off. Here's some stuff I want to see (Maxi and Bellamy are interchangeable):
4-3-2-1
Reina
Johnson Skrtel Coates Enrique
Downing Spearing Maxi
Gerrard Suarez
Carroll
The Christmas Tree, but not in the sense that you play ugly long ball, but a hybrid of styles. I think this might get the most of Carroll, who could knock down balls into the box for Suarez and Gerrard to run on to, or he can be used to hold up play on the counter for Suarez and Gerrard. Luis likes to drop deep and Stevie’s better in an advanced role, so this formation would enable both players to run with the ball at their feet, pass to Carroll, and then get played through by Andy.
4-2-3-1
Reina
Johnson Skrtel Coates Enrique
Spearing Gerrard
Kuyt Suarez Maxi
Carroll
I love the 4-2-3-1 formation, but I don't think we quite have the personnel for it, though. I think, if anything, this should be used against some of the bigger sides, requiring Gerrard to occupy a deeper role when necessary.
4-3-3
Reina
Johnson Skrtel Coates Enrique
Spearing Henderson
Gerrard
Suarez Maxi
Carroll
So Luis would have a free-roam type of role, think David Silva but with more of a striker's mentality. The reason I'd like to see Suarez play a bit more wide is because some of his best plays in a Red shirt have come from wide positions. When he receives the ball on the touchline, he has more time and space to work with, and he's pulled some brilliant moves out there.
And Henderson in my opinion is only good playing in a deep CM position, so he'd come back in to the team for this one. He's not really good as a No. 10 and he sure as heck ain't a RM! But I think he has potential as a regista.
OverallPersonally, I think Suarez and Carroll should be starting every game, with Gerrard given the license to attack (though not many of you will agree with Andy). I don't think it's a case of each of them plays better with the other or anything, but our attack is better with 2 strikers and Gerrard attacking. I'm sick of Andy having 2-3 decent games, then getting dropped. Just play him for the rest of the season.
I see no reason why Coates shouldn't play, with all due respect to Carragher. The kid was expensive for a young defender, and he's shown a lot of promise. Play him. What do we have to really lose? Also, start playing guys like Sterling and Shelvey some more. Raheem looked brilliant coming on, so I'd like to see start getting consistent 30-minute run-outs. With Shelvey, we simply need to see more of him.
I like Maxi and Kuyt a lot, but they're goners in the summer, I'm afraid. So you can probably exclude them from my lists, even though Maxi in particular should have been featuring more this season. Maxi = movement, movement, movement.
One thing we definitely need to work on - besides set pieces
- is pressing higher up the pitch. We seem to invite teams to attack by giving them too much space to work with. I'm a firm believer in defending from the front, and we definitely didn't do that against Wigan. That's one thing that defo needs to be worked on.
Oh, and obviously, I'm not a great football mind! (bad one in fact
) So I'd like to see everyone's thoughts